This blog is devoted to the dissemination of information about Parental Alienation and Parental Alienation Syndrome. The focus is on the development of tools to help overcome this terrible problem, whether it be within a family relationship, or within the Court System.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

I have just finished my involvement with the Second International Congress on Parental Alienation Syndrome (SAP in Spanish) in Alcala de Henares, just outside of Madrid. I spoke at the conference as did Jayne Major, as did the imminent German Psychiatrist Wilfred Von Boch-Galhau. Also present as a presenter was well known Spanish Psychiatrist, Jose Miguel Gaona. There were also many prominent Spanish psychologists such as Jose Manuel Aguilar Cuenca and Asuncion Tejedor Huerta, and just about every other Spanish authority on the alienation of children. Also in attendance were two very supportive Judges, the national President of the Spanish Family lawyers, as well as investigators, attorneys, psychologists, and parents. The meeting was organized by Juan Carlos Presa Periera, who is the President of the Association for the Rights of Children. While I have attended many such meetings, I do not believe that I have attended any where the level of enthusiasm and commitment to improve the situation of children caught in the middle, leading often to their alienation, was so great.

As I became more familiar with the issues in Spain, I was astounded to learn that a situation exists in Spain where fathers are in great jeopardy not only of loosing their children, should they divorce, but are also in jeopardy of loosing their freedom. Currently in Spain, under the authority of the Ministry of Equality, any woman or child who accuses the husband/father of abusing them, I any way, ranging from name calling to physical abuse to sexual assault, will result in the automatic and immediate arrest of the accused man, with absolutely no proof being necessary. Consequently, it is common in contested divorce situations for a father to arrive at the home of the mother to pick up the child for visitation, to be met by a law enforcement officer, due to the mother having called in some false accusation of abuse. Under the current law, the officer has no choice but to arrest the accused father. I was told that it was common for fathers to go to pick up their children, with a packed bag so as to accommodate the weekend stay in jail. This is no joke! This is really happening. I know that this sounds suspect. I wondered about this too. However, the more I looked into it the more I found it to be true. During the weekend of this meeting a man who had been held in jail for 14 months was finally released after it was determined that there was absolutely no evidence for the crime that he was jailed for. His former wife had made a claim of his having assaulted her, and he was arrested. Period. In the 14 months he was false incarcerated he lost his job and his home.

Perhaps it should not be a surprise that there has been an increase in suicide amongst this population of men, which there has. Imagine being accused of doing something which you did not do, being arrested for it, being forced to leave your house, which you must still pay for, and then loosing your access to your child. As if this is not enough, if you stay in jail long enough, you probably will lose your job. It is not difficult to imagine that this set of circumstances could not cause one to loose all hope.

I plan to look more into this situation. From what I see now, I believe that this deserves international attention.

In Florida, pursuant to F.S. 39.205(6), malicious false child abuse allegations are prosecutable via a third degree felony and said false accuser could go to prison for up to five (5) years.

While Florida is but one of only a few states to make such crime a felony, in my opinion, the Child Abuse Prevention & Treatment Act (CAPTA) should be amended to federally mandate this crime be a felony in all 50 states.

In my case I could state a few things... The mother has been guilty of... 1) Parental Child Abduction 2) Breaching Hague Convention Orders 3) Breaching Location Orders 4) Breaching Contact orders that were made as a result of false allegations 5) Proven lies in court 6) Court identified "coaching".... and yet.. Despite the fact that the High Court of Justice in London returned my daughter back to her habitual residence (Spain) where she has ALWAYS been so happy, ALL her mother had to do was lie and say "he hit me" to have me jailed overnight even when witnesses were there to refute this. This overturned everything that the meaning of the Hague Convention stood for and the mother was given an "interim" order to remove as a result of this false allegation...

I was given a sentence of 56 days work for the community which is currently being appealed. I have not heard a response for this appeal for the past 7 months which has now changed status quo for custody (I believe 6 months for Hague)

Now.. I haven't been able to see or hear from my 4 yr old daughter since February because the mother made ANOTHER false allegation in the UK with regard to my daughter!! It is SICK!! And now this is under investigation.. However, after recent responses, I think the UK authorities seeing through these lies.. However, it has resulted in total none contact whilst an investigation is completed. I don't even know where she is!! It is wrong that the mother can USE AND ABUSE the family law system in BOTH countries and receive so much support for these malicious actions.. I cant even understand the reason for the hostility... It wasn't ME that left the home (and the children) for months to have an affair... Just seems so unjust.. Yes it hurts me.. I love my daughter AND my stepson.. but it will also hurt the children too... Why dont they realise this?

The last time I saw my little girl (4 years old), she said "Mommy said I shouldn't call you Daddy anymore... but you are my daddy aren't you?" It is heartbreaking!